write a speech on japa syndrome

‘Japa’ Syndrome: Legitimacy Crisis, Emigration and Public Discontent in Nigeria

In the immediate aftermath of Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential elections, the term ‘Japa’ was trending on Twitter. ‘Japa’, a colloquial term in Yoruba which means “to run, flee or escape”, has seemingly taken hold of the Nigerian consciousness. According to the Pew Research Center , 45% of Nigerians want to leave the country. Indeed, the number of skilled-work and study visas issued by the UK to Nigerians rose from 19,000 in 2019 to 59,000 in 2021. Nigerians, especially the youth, are desperate to see change, and many pinned their hopes on Peter Obi, the ‘outsider’ presidential candidate who energised young Nigerians with his message of hope, renewal and disruption. His ‘loss’, which is currently being challenged in the courts, is seemingly what fuelled discourse surrounding ‘Japa’ in the aftermath of the election. Given the nationalisation of ‘Japa’ syndrome in Nigeria, this article aims to understand public discontent in Nigeria as a symptom of the legitimacy crisis facing the Nigerian state. As such, I will highlight the ways in which ‘Japa’ syndrome is emblematic of the formation of a new consciousness amongst Nigerians, especially the youth, which is equally characterised by an awareness and disdain for the ‘ prebendal’ and ‘ civic public’ character of Nigerian politics. 

‘For the nation to live, the tribe must die’ – Samora Machel 

Nigerian politics is prebendal and lies within the civic public realm. This means that the country’s politicians have traditionally assumed public office with the view that they are entitled to a share of the state’s resource wealth. These embezzled funds are then used for private gain, as well as for the benefit of their ‘primordial’ (ethnic) group. As a result, Nigeria has suffered. A ‘culture of corruption’ is endemic in the country and warps the efficiency of public and parastatal institutions. 

This situation has arisen from the fact that Nigerian politics operates within the civic public realm and, as such, is subordinated to the interests of the ‘primordial public’ which is characterized by tribal affiliation. This subordination has resulted in an amoral political system, where the extraversion of elites and prebendal political culture continue to influence proceedings. The fact that Nigeria has lost over $400 billion to corruption since 1960 is a testament to the amorality and culture of indifference that pervades Nigerian politics, thereby reinforcing the claim that it is firmly located within the civic public realm and conforms to prebendal logics.

Rife prebendalism and the amorality of the political sphere has had severe consequences for Nigerian citizens. Along with using public funds as a form of political patronage, some politicians have arbitrarily seized land for private and primordial gain. In addition, the state maintains funding for a regressive fuel subsidy which has long been claimed to be a mere cover for political corruption. The fact that the fuel subsidy scheme remains in place—11 years after corruption allegations against it first surfaced—reinforces the notion that Nigerian politics is underpinned by an amoral civic public mentality that is indifferent to the misdemeanours of elites.

However, Nigeria may be moving in a new direction, characterised by a popular notion of citizenship that shuns the disruption engendered by ethnic divisions. The ‘Obidients’ – supporters of Mr Obi in the 2023 election – were energised by a message of hope, renewal and disruption. What does this show? 

Importantly, it is a testament to the formation of a new consciousness amongst Nigerians which the political elite either didn’t realise, failed to take seriously or outright ignored. Biodun Ajiboye, an adviser to Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidential election campaign, explained the wave of support for Mr Obi as rooted in the fact that “[Nigerian] children are still smarting from the event of EndSARS” . Nevertheless, Mr Ajiboye still went on to claim that Obi’s supporters were involved in a “religious politics” ploy – that is despite the fact that Mr Obi consistently encouraged voters to ignore primordial and religious differences when heading to the polls. 

Yet, in view of the fact that Mr Obi’s supporters were mainly young and atypically enthused by his alternative politics, such an accusation is crucial. It points to the great extent to which the political elite, such as Mr Ajiboye, have come to embrace a politics characterised by a primordial ethic and how many young Nigerians, in the face of the possible continuation of such, have opted for its rejection. The implications of this are noteworthy.

Given that much has recently been made of the idea that Nigeria is a failed state, one can point to Mr Obi’s campaign as evidence that many Nigerians are keen to imbue a new politics and notion of citizenship that is rooted in the unitary concept of ‘Nigeria’ as well the implementation of morality and responsibility within the historically amoral civic political space. In doing so, young Nigerians appear to be sending the message that they desire a politics no longer characterised by an amoral civic logic as well as a tribal primordial one. 

Therefore, the phenomenon of ‘Japa’ Syndrome and even that which presents a more hopeful vision of Nigeria’s future such as the Obidience movement appear to be premised on the widespread nature of public discontent towards the Nigerian state. Given this, one must consider where this seemingly new formation of a youth-led national consciousness will take Nigerians. Undeniably for some, it will drive them to ‘Japa’. However, for the majority who remain, it is unlikely that the legitimacy deficit of the state will be something that they will tolerate without making their voices heard. The #EndSARS protests, social media activism and ‘Obidience movement’ are a testament to this fact. For this reason, ‘Japa’ syndrome may merely be symptomatic of the beginnings of a long-term legitimacy crisis of the Nigerian state. 

Osaremen Iluobe is a finalist Politics and International Relations student at Churchill College, University of Cambridge and an incoming MA candidate in Economic History at the University of Pennsylvania.  

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Mass Migration in Nigeria: Addressing the ‘Japa’ Syndrome

The Current State of Affairs

Migration simply means movement of people from one environment to another. It is essentially a situation where people leave their place of habitation to go and live in another place. While ‘japa’ on the other hand, is a word from the Yoruba extraction which connotes to ‘escape’. The expression has recently become colloquial in the Nigerian parlance. Gaining independence since 1960, Nigeria has continued to grapple with social, political and economic challenges that have had adverse effects on the economy. One of such challenges is mass migration of citizens. This trend has increasingly gained momentum especially within these past few years.

However, it will be fair to reckon the fact that, the myriads of challenges that are strangulating the country are equally responsible for this exodus the country is experiencing. These challenges pan across health, security, education, leadership sectors, etc. For instance, according to a 2021 report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), 33.3% of Nigerians were unemployed. In the same vein, in November 2022, the National Bureau of Statistics disclosed that 133 million (63%) Nigerians were ‘multidimensionally poor’. Similarly, the education sector is total decrepit. The facilities are battered and outdated. Strike actions have become inextricable part of the academic curriculum. The health sector is equally in shambles as it is experiencing a stark lack of funding and quality healthcare facilities.

More so, production and output of food and other agricultural products have greatly downsized because many farmers have since been sacked from their farmlands by herders. On the other hand, insecurity has become the order of the day. It has claimed the best of the country so much so that no day goes by without insecurity headlines dominating the national dailies, ranging from kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, police brutality, unknown gun men to ritual killings. These issues have continued to provoke word rhetoric in the public domain for a protracted period.

Therefore, many Nigerians have been coerced by the foregoing factors to migrate, or more appropriately, escape in search for greener pastures, that is to say, they leave in search for employment and life opportunities. Some leave for educational purposes, some leave for security reasons, some leave for health factors, while others leave for exposure.

The Effects on the Economy

The effects of mass migration on the economy are as much as the number of people leaving the country. For each skilled individual that leaves there is a far-reaching consequence on the economy. Exodus is not something that people should celebrate especially if there is no war or natural disaster. The people migrating are mostly those with tremendous potentials, otherwise known as ‘brain drain’. They are people who have great abilities and have acquired competitive skills, including Doctors, Lawyers, Researchers, Academics, Journalists, among others. Therefore, one of the primary effects of mass migration on the economy is the loss of skilled and unskilled labour. This has had negative effects on the quality of services provided to citizens and has led to increased costs.

The migration of skilled workers such as engineers, doctors and teachers has led to a shortage of professionals in key sectors of the economy, such as healthcare and education. For instance, according to an October 2022 report by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Nigeria has one doctor to 10,000 patients. This is in sharp contrast to the one doctor to 600 patients recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The country has lost her best productive brains to Europe, America and even Asia. For example, the first successful effort of the World Health Organization at developing Covid19 vaccine came from the U.S particularly from a Nigerian by name Dr. Onyema Ogbuagu who developed the Pfizer vaccine. Other profound examples include; Jelani Bello, a Nigerian who designs Chevrolet cars in the U.S and Dr. Osatohanmwen Osemwengie, a Nigerian who develops drones for the U.S military. The migration of unskilled workers has also taken a toll on the economic growth and development leading to shortage of labour in certain sectors such as agriculture and construction.

Another effect of mass migration on the economy is loss of revenue. The migration of citizens especially those who are of working age have led to decrease in tax revenue and decrease in consumer spending. This has affected the ability of the government to provide essential services to the citizens and has been contributing to budget deficit. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria has lost about 10 billion dollars annually due to brain drain (mass migration) since 2010. Similarly, data from the World Bank show that Nigeria’s GDP growth has been negatively affected by the migration of skilled workers. In 2019, GDP growth was only 2.27% against the projected growth rate of 2.8%.

The Youth Factor

Further impacts of the ‘japa’ syndrome include vulnerability to trafficking and exploitation of the Nigerian youths, especially if they lack proper information, documentation, or support. A 2022 population snapshot by the Mixed Migration Centre reveals that Italy hosts at least 120,000 Nigerians on its territory, the second largest group of Nigerians in Europe (after the UK), and is the most important destination for Nigerian victims of trafficking. In 2017, a total of 18,000 Nigerian migrants were recorded to have arrived into Europe via the Mediterranean, 5,400 of which were women (UNHCR, 2018). Also, within 2014 and 2016, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) recorded an almost 600% increase in the number of potential sex trafficking victims arriving in Italy via the Mediterranean.

One salient issue of concern is the question of which population will stand in the gap or who are the future drivers of the country if all the youths keep escaping? The departure of the young, dynamic and educated population would leave a void in various sectors of the nation, from the workforce to leadership roles, including the military, construction, education, health, agriculture as well as the political sector.

Nigeria’s economy would suffer, as the youth are vital to innovation and productivity. The lack of a skilled labour force would continue to hamper development and hinder technological progress. Additionally, the political landscape might be destabilized as experienced leaders will also leave, potentially creating a power vacuum. The social fabric of the nation could weaken, leading to issues like an aging population and potential social unrest.     

Another pertinent thing to note is that the remittances from migrants have made many parents and relatives back home perpetually reliant and dependent on children abroad. Remittances undeniably provide critical support to many families. These financial contributions are instrumental in covering essential expenses such as education, healthcare, and daily necessities. They also provide a financial lifeline during emergencies or unexpected hardships, serving as a safety net. However, remittance may discourage recipients from seeking local employment or investing in local businesses, thereby discouraging economic development at the local level. Additionally, the consistent inflow of foreign currency from remittances can impact exchange rates and inflation. Furthermore, if the economic stability of a family is solely tied to remittances, disruptions in the source of income abroad can have severe consequences on the livelihoods of those in Nigeria.

The Way Forward

A famous dictum by Albert Einstein goes, “you cannot solve a problem with the same mindset that created it”. In order to address the ‘japa’ syndrome and its attendant impacts on Nigeria’s economy, the government has to up the ante and make a paradigm shift from the existing lackadaisical style of governing.

The roles of the government in mitigating the effects of mass migration on the economy lies chiefly in creating an enabling atmosphere for the citizens to thrive. One of such roles is to provide incentives for skilled workers to stay in the country. This can include offering tax breaks or other financial incentives for professionals in key sectors of the economy. Also, the government should enhance the business space and private sector by reducing bureaucracy in order to encourage investment and ease in business activities.

Furthermore, policies and programs should be initiated with the goal to retain unskilled labour. This may include training and work placement programs to help citizens find employment in their field of expertise. Besides, concerted efforts should be made towards strengthening the purchasing power of the Naira so as to improve the living wage. Overall, the government should demonstrate pragmatism in education, security, health, employment, infrastructure, sports, entertainment, industrialization and manufacturing sectors, so as to attract professionals and investors who will inevitably culminate in a prosperous Nigeria for all citizens.

It’s important to note that while migration can offer opportunities for personal and economic development, it can also be challenging and risky, especially for vulnerable young people addressing the root causes of mass migration, such as unemployment, insecurity, and lack of opportunities, is crucial for creating an environment where youths can thrive in Nigeria without feeling compelled to migrate in large numbers.

Samson Tavershima Shabu Research/Program Officer Building Blocks for Peace Foundation Email: [email protected]

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Why Japa syndrome is on the increase, by don

Former Vice Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba (AAUA), Prof Femi Mimiko, has identified insecurity, shrinking economic opportunities and general governmental dysfunctionality across Africa as part of the reasons why youths are leaving the country in droves.

Mimiko, in his keynote address at The InterNational Education (TINE) Africa Summit and Awards in Lagos, said the attraction for younger Africans is qualitative education, devoid of disruption in academic calendar.

The former vice chancellor, at the summit organised by Laprinxo Consult, an agency that provides administrative support for foreign universities, lamented that the nation’s education system is plagued with several challenges, including unconducive learning environment as well inadequate teaching and learning tools.

Although Mimiko disagreed that Nigerian graduates are unemployable, he, however, noted that the curriculum can be improved upon to include critical thinking and trainings in basic life skills.

He said: “A clear manifestation of the difficult situation in the Nigerian higher education system is the general instability in the academic calendar. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), according to reports, went on strike 16 times between 1999 and 2023. largely because of government’s insensitivity and perfunctory treatment of education. This would roughly equate to one year of strike in every five years, implying that the country actually lost cumulative four years in 23 years due to ASUU strike.

“It is also becoming increasingly difficult to cultivate and sustain a positive attitude to work among many universities’ faculty and staff, especially in the face of the increasing dominance of the system by staff unions, which sometimes do actually overreach themselves. While quite a lot of these challenges could be traced to the perfunctory manner in which lecturers are treated, there is generally poor work ethics in the country’s public sector, which has since crept into the universities. “Dwindling proprietorial funding also ensured that universities, even under the best of management, cannot do so much. This becomes quite a bit of challenge in the face of massification, bogus class sizes, shortage of critical training tools, and a professorial remuneration package that actually disincentives. “The whole gamut of education abroad would, therefore, seem to be higher in quality, if not in terms of curriculum; but certainly, in relation to equipment, environment and instructors, than what obtained in Africa,” Mimiko added. While justifying the Japa syndrome, Mimiko said studying abroad for young people is the direction the world is threading, and African students should not be left out.

According to him, African students who return to the continent after completing their studies abroad positively impact their mates, particularly where a system is created to leverage their knowledge, exposure, and contacts.

“It is after all, a globalised, knowledge economy, and no nation does well by sequestering its youths at home. Africa has not much to lose by the streaming abroad of its young citizens for quality education, in a much more cosmopolitan context. This goes to enhance their capacity and relevance, not just to their own continent, but humanity in general. “India has the largest diaspora population in the world, with 17.9 million in 2022. It is closely followed by Mexico at 11.2 million, and Russia at 10.8 million. China has 10.7 million of its people outside of the country,” he added.

The convener, Louis Adekola, explained that the summit was aimed at bringing together, representatives of universities abroad to share experiences, lessons and best practices.

“How do we ensure there’s high professionalism in the system? How do we ensure that people have all the supports that they need? How do we ensure universities recruiting from the continent of Africa are also giving back? At the end of the day, we’re trying to remind ourselves that our work is beyond students marketing and recruiting. We are helping to support dreams,” Adekola said.

He also reminded that no education system is perfect. and tasked stakeholders on the need to design the curriculum along the country’s needs.

He said: “We need lecturers who would align their teaching with best practices, and it’s important that students are involved in the knowledge creation process. If we’re trying to build our education system like Finland, the United Kingdom or United States, we will constantly not be achieving our set goals because we need to understand that beyond their system, they have their own culture that fits into it. If we don’t have that culture and we have that system, it will continue to falter.”

In this article

• Japa syndrome
• Prof Femi Mimiko
• The InterNational Education (TINE) Africa Summit

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• Original Article
• Open access
• Published: 18 August 2023

The Japa syndrome and the migration of Nigerians to the United Kingdom: an empirical analysis

• Samuel Kehinde Okunade   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1221-6143 1 &
• Oladotun E. Awosusi 2  

Comparative Migration Studies volume  11 , Article number:  27 ( 2023 ) Cite this article

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Since the early years of independence, Africa has witnessed varying degrees of migration-regular and irregular. Scholarships in African regional studies have mainly attributed this phenomenon to factors such as high poverty levels, rising unemployment, and the deplorable economies of most African countries, Nigeria inclusive. However, the post-Covid-19 trend of out-migration of Nigerians to the UK, known as japa to the United Kingdom (UK) and other parts of the world, is concerning with multifaced implications. The study investigates the endogamous and exogamous variables responsible for this Japa syndrome in Nigeria. It contends that beyond the unfavourable economic climate and the lingering security issues among other internal vices in Nigeria, the current trend of out-migration bears a connection with the neo-liberal structure of the UK and the emerging global trend. The study argues further that the mad rush out-migration portends hydra-headed implications for the two countries and Africa at large. The study adopts a qualitative research design, including the utilisation of primary and secondary data. It draws primary data through pre-set standard e-interviews with thirty-six (36) Nigerian University students from seventeen (17) universities in the UK. The thematic analytic framework is applied to this data, with the product being an essay defined by seven sections.

Introduction

The ‘new normal’ in Africa’s regular or irregular migration can be directly traced to the last two decades (Nwalutu et al., 2022 ). This involves a massive transnational migration of Africans, including Nigerians, to other parts of the world, especially Europe, through illegal routes, porous land borders, the Sahara, and across the Mediterranean into Europe, or through legalised routes with the required documents. The irregular migration culture is a notorious endeavour that, over the years, has led to the deaths of many Nigerians and fellow ‘backway’ migrants in the Sahara Desert, the Maghreb region, and the Mediterranean (Awosusi et al., 2021 ; Ikuteyijo, 2020 ; Okunade, 2021a ). The inadequate national and economic restructuring, among others, to address the cross-border menace has further put many African states in a situation of fragility. Beyond the age-long irregular migration trend, many Nigerians are desperately paying ‘the price’ for legal migration from the country for the golden fleece abroad. This is not to say that the culture of irregular migration has become extinct on the continent; indeed, scores of Nigerians and other African nationals, especially from the West Africa sub-region, are daily leaving the country through irregular means (Okunade, 2021a )).

However, the recent frenzy for outmigration among Nigerian youths is alarming. The new trend has bred the ‘adoption’ of the colloquial term Japa among the populace to describe the mass outmigration in Nigeria. Japa is a novel term used by Nigerians to describe the outmigration trend of Nigerians into Europe and other parts of the world. At a recent Youths in Business Forum, a French Ambassador curiously quizzed one of the Nigerian youths to understand the context and meaning of japa , as popularly used in the country. In response, Peter Dingba, a Nigerian youth, averred that it is ‘a word that describes the entrepreneurial spirit of Nigerians; in that same word, it means that Nigerians want to export their contents, gifts, skills, and products, including themselves’. This goes to say that japa is a ‘self-exportation’ of Nigerians abroad. According to Professor Toyin Falola, Japa is a Yoruba word that means to flee, and once achieved, a celebration comes with it as it feels more like gaining freedom at last (Premium Times, 2022 ). Japa means ‘fleeing’ beyond the shores of Nigeria. That is, deploying any migration strategy (regular or irregular) to escape from Nigeria’s territory to other parts of the world. Although novel in literature, Japa is not a new development in Nigeria. As a concept, it explains not only the exodus of Nigerians through its international air borders (a phenomenon that attracted the terminology), but also the age-long practice of irregular migration, which seems to be ignored by the people and the concerned local actors.

Available statistics have further put the japa syndrome among Nigerians into better perspective. In 2018, for instance, Schengen countries such as Germany, Hungary, Finland, Italy, and Spain, which are Nigerians' popular destinations, saw an increase in visa applications from Nigeria (The Guardian, 2019 ). A total of 88,587 visa applications were received, of which 49.8% were rejected (The Guardian, 2019 ). This means that 44,076 applications were denied (Sahara Reporters, 2018 ). The most recent statistics show an increase of 51% in the rejection rate of Schengen visa applications lodged by Nigerians (Schengen visa info, 2022 ). Furthermore, according to recent statistics released by the UK government, 486,869 study visas were granted as of June 2022, 71% more than in 2019. Nigeria ranks third after India and China, increasing from 8,384 to a record high of 65,929 in study visas to the UK. This shows a geometric increase in the mobility of people between Nigeria and the UK.

Our analysis proves that many internal and external factors have contributed to this trend. The recent EndSars national youth protests of October 2021 and the attendant Toll Gate Massacre have been argued to have influenced the massive outmigration of Nigerians. The Nigerian youth's protest, which was an outburst against police brutality over the years, was alleged to have been ruthlessly aborted by the Nigerian government (U.S. News, 2020 ). The response, which was greeted with public criticism, especially from the youths, instigated an increased outmigration of the Nigerian youth (Okunade, 2021b ).

Literature is replete with various works on the phenomenon of youth migration from sub-Saharan Africa with a focus on Nigeria (Akinyemi and Ikuteyijo, 2009; Hammond, 2015 ; Ikuteyijo, 2020 ; Okunade, 2021a ; Adhikira et al., 2021; Nwosu et al., 2022 ). These scholarly works explored the push and pull factors responsible for outmigration. Though they could be generally classified as being political, economic, and socio-cultural (Okunade and Bakare, 2020 ), scholars have identified specific factors such as high level of poverty, poor economic conditions, a high rate of unemployment, the quest for a greener pasture, the desire to acquire international academic qualifications, a high level of insecurity, the fear of persecution and so on. In a different study, Okunade ( 2021a ) identified greed and disinformation as salient factors that could also be responsible for this drive. The study approached the Japa syndrome in the context of the recent exodus of Nigerians into the United Kingdom (UK). It investigated the core factors (push and pull) responsible for this recent japa syndrome in Nigeria. As the available statistics reveal that most Nigerians enter the UK through study channels (study permits), the study sought to determine if this migration is aimed at acquiring knowledge or it is a mere survival strategy. Lastly, the authors projected the implications of this phenomenon for the national lives and economies of Nigeria and the UK.

Methodology

This study adopts a qualitative research design utilising a case study approach. This was most suitable for this study, as we delved into the mass outmigration of Nigerians into the UK through study channels. Secondary data, such as literature, reports, online commentaries, reviews, video clips, and others, on migration, were consulted, while primary data were obtained via interviews. The target population for this study comprised Nigerian students in the UK. The participants included cisgender males and females. Through telephone discussions and the Google Forms Survey Tool, 36 Nigerian students across 17 universities in the UK were interviewed. This enabled us to reach our targeted audience quickly and seamlessly. Of the total sampled population, responses were gotten from 23 respondents via the online Google forms, 6 via WhatsApp chats, and telephone interviews were conducted with the last 7 respondents. The respondents were between the ages of 20 and 50 and hail from different geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Out of the total study population, the age bracket of 36–40 years has the highest number with a percentage of 38.8%, while the age bracket of 20–25 years has the lowest percentage of 8.7%. The age bracket of 46 had an appreciable rate of 13%. The majority is 13%. Many of the respondents were postgraduate students, while a very small proportion of 7% were undergraduate students. The male population was the highest, with a percentage of 52.2%, while the female population had 47.8%. Before leaving Nigeria, 87% of the respondents were middle-class individuals. and business owners, while 13% of the respondents were unemployed. Of the 87% in the middle class, 73.5% were gainfully employed and had businesses running, while 26.1% were underemployed. 69.6% had dependents in the UK, while 30.4% had no dependents. The collected data were thematically analysed vis-à-vis the crux of the study. For ethical reasons, the respondents were anonymously cited.

Out-migration of Nigerians to the UK: theoretical perspectives

Migration and its attendant contemporary patterns in Africa and elsewhere in the world have been framed and explained using different paradigms such as Neoliberalism, Globalisation, and the Political Economy of Migration (Massey et al., 1994 ; Adeyanju et al., 2011 ; Kotz, 2015 ; Jua, 2003; Beneria, 2012 ). Albeit relevant, none is sufficient to explain the endogamous and exogamous migration dynamics on the continent and in other parts of the world. This is because international migration results from what Massey et al. ( 1994 ) denoted as cumulative causation, which is beyond what a single paradigm can capture. In addition to the above frameworks, the State Fragility and Anomie paradigms have also been engaged to identify and explain the internal variables responsible for the japa syndrome of Nigerians to the UK.

In his article "Neoliberalism, Globalization, and Financialization: Understanding Post-1980 Capitalism," David Kotz explicates the idea of neoliberalism with a focus on the United States. Neoliberalism involves creating an economic structure that weakens the functioning of public systems and institutions such that they become inefficient while private businesses and companies operate freely within the market, making a maximum profit with optimal performance. This implies that employee-employer relations decline and unions’ role in determining wages and working conditions becomes marred. Consequently, the determination of working conditions and wages was left in the hands of market forces as opposed to labour-management negotiation in a regulated capitalist era, giving employers the free will to institutionalise the casualisation of workers (Kotz, 2015 ). Explaining this within the context of the UK, the government/public funding of educational institutions in the country has been a subject of debate (Brazzill, 2021 ). Among other things, the UK government took away funding decisions of schools from the elected Local Education Authorities (LEAs) to the schools (Royna 1995), and imposed per capita funding on students, deepening the inequalities witnessed in the state, making the rich richer and the poor coming poorer (Kotz, 2015 ; Whitty et al., 1998 ). Entrance into UK tertiary institutions, thus, requires top-up fees. By implication, tertiary institutions have become racialised and hierarchised, segregating the poor from attending such universities and restricting them to universities that fall under the country's lower divisions of higher education (Hill and Rosskam, 2009 ).

To cushion the resultant effects of the decline in public funding of education, most UK tertiary institutions increased the enrolment of international students who could afford the "top-up fees" at the expense of local students’ enrolment (Blanden & Machin, 2004 ; Brazzill, 2021 ; Chowdry et al., 2013 ). Most higher institutions achieved this by using different "international admission agents" and other concessions to attract international students from Africa and beyond (Mazzarol & Soutar, 2002 ; Woodhall, 1989 ). Young people from African states, Nigeria included, then leverage this "open check" to migrate. According to University UK ( 2017 ), in 2016, international students comprised 43% of total student enrolment for postgraduate research programmes, while 30% of research and academic staff were non-UK citizens. Meanwhile, the tuition fee for international students from outside the UK or EU is three times more than that of nationals from the UK or EU (Hillman, 2018 ).

Further, the contemporary trend of outmigration in Nigeria and elsewhere can also benefit from the political economy of international migration, which draws on the relationships between the capitalist economy, migration, and exploitation or oppression (Adeyanju and Oriola, 2011 ). This critical approach to migration is premised on the argument that developing countries such as Nigeria and other African states have a substantial human capital exploited by developed/wealthy countries such as the UK (Richmond, 1994 ). That is, the uneven economy of the global system pushes people to migrate from a poor and unstable territory to a rich and stable one. The argument, in essence, is that the economic needs of poor countries serve as a push for the migration of their citizens, while the pull factor has to do with the attraction of developed/wealthy countries to migrants (Li, 2003 ). In context, the unstable and poor economies of Nigeria and some African states serve as a push variable for this new trend of outmigration in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa, while demand for labour to service the post-industrial economy in the UK could be seen as a pull factor. As small business service firms keep growing in Britain, the demand for more professionals has grown to service the economy (Bryson 1997 ). During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Institute for Fiscal Studies noted a drop in vacancies across all sectors by at least 20%, Footnote 1 with food services and accommodation falling to 93%. Sectors such as social care, health, and education remained stable. Footnote 2 However, vacancies were seen to be on the increase since April 2020, with a record of 1.3 million vacancies between November 2021 and January 2022. Footnote 3 According to the Office of National Statistics, this amounts to an increase of 65.5% from the pre-COVID period. Footnote 4 Three major factors are responsible for the increase in labour shortages. First, as given by the Institute for Employment Studies, has to do with the growing number of people not working and not looking for work either. Footnote 5 Second, the decline in foreign workers in the UK due to Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic made many return to their countries (BBC, 2022 ). Third are increasing jobs with low wages with little or no benefits. Footnote 6 International students, thus, serve as a source of supply to fill this vacuum as casual workers in most sectors of the UK economy.

According to Giddens ( 2003 ), globalisation has birthed a politically, culturally, and economically interconnected world, whereby distant/global events influence individuals' local lives, actions, and perceptions. In the words of Gidden ( 2003 : 87), ‘although everyone lives a local life, phenomenal worlds, for the most part, are truly global’. This entails that the nuances of globalisation in terms of breakthroughs in technological tools, such as the internet and social media, have bridged the gap between local and global lives. Globalisation has engendered a ‘virtual world’ through which individuals, especially youths, can interact seamlessly with their peers in other parts of the world through the internet and other social media networks. These virtual networks, as engaged by migrants to impress their peers and familiarise them with available opportunities in other parts of the world, consciously and unconsciously drive them to stretch beyond their local boundaries (Ballard, 1987 ). According to Adeyanju and Oriola ( 2011 ), virtual networks create a new form of cross-border interaction between migrants, friends and families in their home country, resulting in admiration and desire by the latter for a similar life abroad. Hence, the drive of Nigerian youths to outmigration to savour opportunities in the UK, as portrayed by their peers through social media.

Drawing from the State Fragility framework, when a state fails in its social contract to guarantee basic security to its citizens, maintain the rule of law and justice, or provide a public good, it results in the prevalence of criminalities; refugees, and outmigration (regular or irregular) of its populations (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development-OECD, 2007 , 2012 ; Sternehäll, 2016 ; Di John, 2010 ). Accordingly, a state of fragility is unleashed in a country when a government no longer meets the needs of its people, loses popular support, and when the state-society relationship (social contract) in terms of security and service delivery is fraying (Menocal, 2011 ). Rotberg ( 2003 ) averred that the ripple effect is usually cross-border issues such as migration (regular and irregular which aptly captures Nigeria’s situation. The failure to provide its increasing population with job opportunities, basic infrastructure, security, and other essentials has created a fragile system resulting in massive outmigration of Nigerians.

Robert K. Merton’s anomie paradigm also put the Nigerians’ japa syndrome in perspective. Merton ( 2010 ) posits that anomie (youth anti-social behaviour) occurs when there is a cultural breakdown, owing to the societal emphasis on monetary success with little or no attention on the legally acceptable ways to achieve such success. Once this culture commences in a society, the result is usually a drive for almost everyone to achieve lofty goals through whatever means. This culture breeds greed. In the case of Nigeria, the ostentatious lifestyle of politicians depicts them as selfish individuals who only seek power to enrich themselves and tend to forget their primary obligation when in power. ‘Vulnerable’ individuals in such society, especially youths, are thus ‘forced’ into criminality like cybercrime, armed robbery, kidnapping, and ritual killing to meet up with the luxurious lives of the corrupt politician (Nwankwo and James, 2016). This malaise has spawned criminalities such as cybercrime, kidnapping, and outmigration in Nigeria, even when some have good jobs and profitable businesses.

The push and pull factors responsible for the Japa syndrome of Nigerians to the United Kingdom

From the data collected, Nigerian students in the UK advanced various push and pull factors for their actions and decisions to japa to the UK. These include declining economic conditions, career projection, exhaustion, mainly by professionals, the quest for a secured future for their children, migration delusion or obsession, lingering security issues, and study to obtain the Golden Fleece in the UK.

Declining economic conditions

Nigeria’s poor economic state accounts for many Nigerians' pushes to study in the UK. Prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019, the living conditions of Nigerians were already on the brink of collapse while the pandemic unleashed its ‘terror’ on the national space and its people. This period welcomed inflation, unemployment, and other economic vices that have overtaken the country. Many of the respondents from the interview survey noted that, as university graduates, they were underemployed for many years and had to move on in the quest for a better life. The UK provides a better environment where they can thrive, explore their potential and live a good life. In the words of one of the respondents, ‘UK is a well-organised society, with a system that's working when compared to Nigeria, there are many job prospects here (the UK) and the health system is much better than Nigeria’. Footnote 7 Another respondent noted that ‘Nigeria is a no-go country. The situation is very bad at the moment’, Footnote 8 an assertion that mirrors the mentality of Nigerian youths, which Adeyanju and Oriola ( 2011 ) captured as a ‘front page’ portrayal of the West by immigrants to impress peers in their home countries.

However, the question to ask at this point is how some of these ‘ Japa-ists’, previously underemployed or unemployed in Nigeria, managed to raise the enormous funds needed for this capital-intensive project. Studying in the UK is financially demanding. Most of the higher education institutions in the UK require a minimum initial financial commitment from international students before they are even issued the required documents for visa processing. This payment ranges from 30–50% of the total tuition fee, which is about 3,000–7,000 euro, depending on the school. Besides, visa processing and other documentation come with costs. On the migration expenses and funding of their study, some respondents gathered funds from different sources, such as personal savings, the sale of private properties, and loans from friends, families, and financial institutions. A respondent narrated thus: ‘My mum sold our landed property inherited after the demise of my father, and I took a loan too’. Footnote 9 This shows the extent a man can go in the quest for survival. This ongoing massive migration trend implies a colossal capital flight or transfers from an economically-backward country, like Nigeria, to a developed country like the UK.

Career projection

Sequel to the earlier argument, the drive to study in the UK was stirred by some respondents’ desire to advance their careers, which the Nigerian space currently denies them. Some respondents believe the UK offers a better space for realising their visions and aspirations. Notably, however, although an average Nigerian youth is naturally career-driven with a flair for formal education, the educational system in Nigeria is currently failing due to non-payment of lecturers’ salaries/arrears, and poor educational facilities, among others. For example, the leading academic body in the country, known as the ASUU-Academic Staff Union of Universities, was involved in industrial action which was conditionally halted over eight months later in October 2022. Footnote 10 Notably, all academic activities ceased in public universities during the strike, thereby disrupting the academic calendar in all public universities. The respondents claimed that this worrisome situation in the country pushed them to the UK. According to one of the respondents, ‘too many strikes by the academic body (ASUU) in Nigeria has caused delays in completing a course, and with the huge dissatisfaction with the standard of study,’ hence japa became inevitable. Similarly, a respondent stated, ‘I choose the UK because it allows self-development for global opportunities’. In the words of another respondent, ‘I took this decision to add to my professional qualifications and also work in a better environment.’ Footnote 11 Also, some noted that the prolonged ASUU strike had made it difficult f to complete their postgraduate studies, which could enhance their chances of getting desired jobs, and those who had paid jobs needed the certificate for promotion. As noted earlier, some were underemployed and were getting frustrated already. Since the ASUU and the government had failed to reach a compromise, meaning that the end of the strike was not in sight, they needed a ‘Plan B’ , and that was to leave the country.

Career exhaustion/saturation

In sharp contrast to the above point, some respondents averred that they did not leave Nigeria because they did not have the financial capacity for the lives that they wanted to live in Nigeria. Those in this category are professionals in different industries, such as banking, education, and health as well as a few business individuals. According to many professionals, they had reached the peak of their careers and felt saturated; hence, they wanted a change of environment. According to a respondent who was a bank manager in Nigeria, “as a bank manager, I got to a point where I was no longer getting challenged in my career. I was totally exhausted and bored of the job and the country as a whole”. Footnote 12 A businesswoman who ran a chain of supermarket stores in a major city in the southwest explained: “I got tired of everything because the cost of running these stores increased geometrically…..had to buy heavy duty generators….the cost of fuelling them with diesel as well as the cost of maintenance….workers asking for a pay rise which I do not blame them for….terrible public infrastructure like bad roads and increased crime that made us close early even after arranging for private security. I just abandoned everything and left”. Footnote 13 With the sense of urgency, those in this group had, the study channel is currently the easiest path to achieve their aspiration. Hence, they utilised the opportunity. This equally explains why older Nigerians between the ages of 46–50 have also explored this route and are among the ‘japa-ists’ in the UK.

Dependents' future ‘security’

Most of the respondents alluded to having dependents in the UK, indicating that they have families living in the UK. This corroborates the recent statistics released by the UK Home Office showing the presence of many Nigerian dependents in the UK. Nigerians make up 40% of dependents accompanying foreign students in the UK. Footnote 14 The surge in the number of dependents accompanying Nigerian migrants to the UK, informed the recent policy statement by UK government to reduce the number of dependents international students could take to the country. This decision has, however, raised arguments for and against the UK. The rationality and legality of this decision are not the concern of this study, but they call for future investigation. A sample of Nigerian students in the UK noted that they had decided for their children because they wanted them to grow up in a sane environment, which Nigeria currently deprives them. Many of the respondents lamented that the Nigerian government has no system to secure children’s futures. A participant noted, ‘This decision was taken so that my children have good and functional education’ Footnote 15 ; hence, the quest to migrate to a more functional country where the children’s education, health and career are guaranteed. A few of them, for instance, noted that they do not have the intention of staying back after their studies initially, but given the quality of education that they have seen their children exposed to, they will never return to Nigeria. A respondent also noted, ‘I have seen what this country has to offer my kids, I am willing to pay the sacrifice to keep them here.’ Footnote 16

Migration delusion and obsession

A category of individuals holds a strong opinion and a misguided conviction that they will never succeed in Nigeria unless they migrate to other countries. In other words, they believe that their success only lies beyond the shores of Nigeria. The responses of some sampled Nigerian students in the UK affirm this. A respondent confessed that he had since made plans to relocate. He, therefore, took the study route because of the ease of securing admission and a visa in the UK. According to him, ‘the ease of gaining admission and the certainty of getting a visa makes it a good means to an end’ Footnote 17 The end, in this instance, refers to relocation. Some gave other reasons for their decisions that do not sound logical and justifiable for study purposes. Another participant also confessed that he has been desperate to ‘escape’ Nigeria at all costs, as his siblings currently live in America. According to him, ‘All attempts made to enter the United States proved abortive as I was denied multiple times by the Embassy in Lagos. I had no choice but to switch to the UK, which is much faster though expensive.’ Footnote 18 This shows that the UK provided an escape route for him. In addition, a participant declared that he took the decision because of the opportunity to be in a multicultural space. He said, “I took the study route because of the ‘multi-diverse culture’ in the UK’. As much as the respondent understood what he meant, it is difficult to place the relationship between the acquisition of an academic certificate and being in a multicultural environment. These responses reflect the illogical mindset of some Nigerian youths, an aftermath of anomie currently ravaging the Nigerian space. For them, it is not important wherever they go, as what is paramount to them is just to leave Nigeria. This resonates with the mindset of many Nigerian youths who embark on irregular migration through the Sahara and the Mediterranean to cross Europe.

Lingering security issues

The state of insecurity in Nigeria has heightened the fear of many Nigerians. This continues to manifest in the form of hijacking, kidnapping, armed robbery, and so on within the Nigerian space. Nigerians have responded to this differently by evolving different survival strategies. One of the coping strategies is emigration, which is currently the order of the day in the country. While many respondents noted the high level of insecurity in the country, some affirmed their fear and unwillingness to continue living in such a situation. According to a female respondent, ‘Nigeria’s situation is getting worse….in terms of security, economic advancement, police harassment, etc.’ Footnote 19 This confirms the assertion made earlier in the study on the effect the aborted EndSARS movement would have on the outmigration trend of Nigerians. Additionally, while some respondents confessed that they were just fearful when they thought of the country’s future, others pointed to the trepidation surrounding the 2023 general election. In fact, the conduct of some politicians towards the 2023 general election raised tension within the polity as ethnoreligious sentiments, which usually trigger electoral violence in the country, was playing out. As noted by a respondent, ‘No one is sure of the outcome of the election and the chaos that might happen thereafter. As we can see, our politicians making inciting speeches that can lead to violence….no one is sure of what will happen really’ The Nigeria Police Force’s assurance that a peaceful election that would be free and fair was considered reliable by the people.’ Footnote 20

Study as a means to an end

It is noteworthy that many of the respondents' intentions point to relocation. A question that arises here is, ‘Why the UK?’ There is a rush to the UK because of the seamless process for international students to gain admission into UK universities, especially for postgraduate studies. As a result, many Nigerians have decided to explore and exploit the study route to gain access to the UK, despite the huge demands required and the process involved. These will be touched on in this section. This remains a pull factor responsible for this phenomenon. Whereas many stated that they took the decision to develop themselves and be better equipped for the labour requirements in the new sphere, the majority avowed that they would never return to Nigeria. A respondent noted that he had taken that route to join his family in the UK. A participant asserted that ‘the study was a means to an end; the end is relocation’. Footnote 21 This shows that the intention was not to go study but only a sure way to exit Nigeria and transit into a better environment. Another maintained as follows: ‘the UK is the most open country that accommodates foreigners at the moment so, I decided to grab the opportunity’ Footnote 22 She noted further that she encouraged many of her friends to utilise the opportunity while it lasts. While many had succeeded, some did not because of the huge financial demands required for the process. This implies that, though the process requires huge financial outlay, many commit themselves to it as they are more concerned about the result.

Easy access to jobs

Many participants’ responses pointed to the fact that the UK is a country of choice because it allows them to work legally and earn a living as students. According to a respondent, ‘Being a foreign education consultant, I can boldly say that up to 60% took the step to study in the UK just to get out of the country and have the legal right to work and get their indefinite leave to remain. Most are doing it to buy a future for their children in a more enabling environment’. Footnote 23 another participant admitted that ‘most students came for work if we will be honest….care jobs obviously’. Footnote 24 Looking at the jobs available to Nigerian students or international students, a participant said, ‘most of the jobs available do not require qualifications. Footnote 25 she added that ‘security, care, support jobs, and warehouse’ as jobs many Nigerian students take up. Footnote 26 This situation stirs the curiosity to inquire if these individuals were prepared for such jobs. Responses showed that many were aware of the reality before leaving Nigeria, but some were ignorant of the situation. However, because they knew why they had left Nigeria, they were encouraged to adapt to the system as a participant pointed out, ‘I think we all know there are no opportunities back home (in Nigeria), so we came here to hustle’ Footnote 27 Another respondent noted that, ‘many of them did not prepare but trust Nigerians, they are resilient, and they learn very fast’. Footnote 28 On the other hand, a female participant stated, ‘I believe many are prepared; however, some were not prepared for the consequences of disobeying the laws that come with these responsibilities’. Footnote 29 This implies that beyond the physical demands of such jobs, which many possess and are able to fulfil, they are ignorant of some professional ethics involved. In the words of a participant, ‘physically, yes many are prepared, but most people are not prepared for the psychological demands of these jobs’. Footnote 30 Above all, a lady who is a project Officer for international students, declared, ‘from my experience as an International Students’ Project Officer, I will say that most of the Nigerian students were aware they would need to do such jobs as students, but not to get work sponsorship after completing their study’ which is the reality of many currently. Footnote 31

Furthermore, when asked about their living conditions in the UK and if they would consider returning to Nigeria, the majority averred the good life they were living and enjoying in the country and would never return to Nigeria. According to a participant ‘it has been an awesome experience. No power outages, less struggles. Good roads, food is affordable, safety. Loving the experience here’. Footnote 32 In a respondent’s words, ‘the UK is a very expensive and stressful country but better than Nigeria in terms of basic amenities such as water, good road, security etc.’ Footnote 33 Chukwuma supported the perspective thus: ‘I am not as stressed as I was in Nigeria, and since the situation back home is still the same, I will not go back’. Footnote 34 A participant noted that ‘The UK is a more structured society than Nigeria because the basic amenities are easily accessible to all irrespective of social status. There is also a reward for labour in the UK. Accommodation is just a bit expensive compared to Nigeria’. Footnote 35 For a participant, that ‘it is a completely better life, everything works here, you labour for your money, and you can enjoy it in peace without fear of kidnappers, you do not have to worry about little things like power and healthcare. I went to the hospital for my general check up, only a little blood sample was taken with ease, gave us all the results. In Nigeria, you will be moving from pillar to post in the hospital, it’s a shame because Nigeria has more resources than here, where all they have is tax’ Footnote 36 This shows the lapses in the system, especially in the healthcare sector. Many politicians, including President Muhammadu Buhari, prefer medical vacations abroad. Recently, the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was alleged to have followed suit by travelling to London, Footnote 37 and later to France on medical vacation. Footnote 38 This act has been argued to be a replication of the trend that the outgoing president upheld throughout his tenure. Footnote 39

To conclude, a participant noted that ‘most international students after completing their studies are getting their work sponsorship through caregiver jobs. This is the major sector where many international graduates easily obtain work sponsorships now as employers of skilled talents are limited and can only take a certain number amidst tight competition. Footnote 40 This implies that, even after spending so much on the acquisition of an international degree, which according to many, will make them more marketable in the global market, they end up picking up care jobs, which are the only readily-available options, so that they could remain legally and continue to work in the UK.

The aforementioned implies that a better life in the UK has been stated by many as the reason for their unwillingness to return to Nigeria. However, a few participants mentioned that they were only in the UK to study and would return on completing their studies. According to a participant, ‘life in the UK is good and easy-going compared to Nigeria, but honestly, staying here has taught me that there is no difference between UK and Nigeria. The only difference is that the UK is more organised but when compared to living, Nigeria is far better’. Footnote 41 A respondent observed the dynamics in the system, which is a reality many have to acknowledge. According to him, ‘it's been challenging especially when you have to take on an unprofessional job as a student when you were already established before leaving Nigeria’. Footnote 42 The lifestyle Nigeria permits is significantly better than that of the UK, according to a participant, who also mentioned that he had a job and family waiting for him there. Footnote 43 This suggests that he would return home after completing his education in the UK. The current situation, however, calls for a follow-up study in the near future to ascertain if these views remain valid.

Conceptualising the Japa Syndrome in Nigeria: a case of the United Kingdom

Given that this study’s aim to unpack the push and pull factor the japa syndrome in Nigeria within the context of the UK, it is essential to develop a conceptual framework that speaks to the phenomenon based on the study's findings. A conceptual framework outlining the causes of the significant emigration of Nigerians to the UK for study is provided below (Fig.  1 ).

Source : The Authors

Conceptual framework on the Japa Syndrome of Nigerians into the United Kingdom.

Implications of the massive outmigration for Nigeria and The United Kingdom

The stories of Nigerian immigrants to the UK show that the impact of outmigration is complex and hydra-headed for both the home and receiving countries. Nigeria is renowned for having a sizable human capital, which continues to be one of its soft power assets in the international arena. For instance, other wealthy/developed nations in Europe and Asia are openly and secretly hiring professionals from Nigeria in addition to Nigeria's deployment of human capital aid to several other African governments and the Caribbeans through its Technical Aid Corps Scheme (TACs). There is a brain drain and a loss of international influence when the majority of these professionals, who are national assets, are now voluntary migrants to the UK. All sectors of the Nigerian state have been negatively affected by the current migration spike. University lecturers, high school teachers, medical doctors, bankers, and so on are resigning their appointments out of frustration to navigate their way to a sane system (the UK) in anticipation of a better life. This is one of the features of a fragile/failed state as citizens are pushed out in search of greener pastures and, in this case, it comes with so much desperation given the current situation of the Nigerian state. One of the respondents, who had been a professional in one of the key sectors in Nigeria, lamented that, out of frustration with the country, he had been pushed to resign from his professional job in Nigeria and taken up an unprofessional one in the UK. In the authors’ phone discussion with one of the respondents, a computer engineer in Nigeria, it was revealed that the bulk of professional migrants, including himself and his wife, were employed in the health sector in the UK as caregivers (unprofessional health assistants). Adding that skilled medical practitioners from Nigeria are easily absorbed into the health sector with ‘better’ working conditions. Available records show that over 5,600 Nigerian-trained or licensed medical doctors have migrated to the UK in the last eight years. This record includes nurses/midwives and other health professionals. Recently, the head of the Nigerian Medical Association publicly lamented that the Nigerian health sector is experiencing an unusual brain drain, with only 24, 000 licensed medical officers, less than 10% of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) minimum required standard. He noted further that the proportion of the available doctors to patients in the country now stands at a ratio of 1–30, 000 in some parts of the country Footnote 44 This is the current situation in all sectors of the country. Globalisation could be said to have assisted Nigeria’s professionals to explore opportunities beyond the shores of Nigeria. While some have succeeded in relocating, the internet continues to provide information and as well facilitate communication between those that have emigrated and those still in Nigeria. With the process in place, there is constant exchange of opportunities and links which those in Nigeria continue to explore. As a result, there would continue to be outmigration of citizens, as students or professionals, from Nigeria.

Further, Nigeria's waning economic situation, which most respondents attributed to their migration, may be worsened, given the colossal capital transfer from the country to the neoliberal economy of the UK in terms of payment of tuition fees, relocating their families, and getting accommodation. In a survey carried out by SBM Intelligence, an estimated amount of 1,931,821,923.75 pounds was generated by the UK government from Nigerian students and their dependents during the 2021/ 2022 academic year. Footnote 45 Given Nigeria's deteriorating economic situation, this aroused curiosity about how and where such funds were generated. According to the testimonies of the respondents, the majority of them sold their own assets, obtained loans, and invested all of their savings in the project. This goes along with the political economy of migration thesis, which places migration in the context of economic inequalities between wealthy and poor countries, whereby migrants are drawn to, or induced from, the former into the latter. The corollary effect of this is economic exploitation, which is what most student migrants who are temporary or casual employees in the UK health sector suffer. They receive little salary and few or no benefits. It is important to stress that, contrary to what many migrants believe, the UK is not El Dorado. The lived experience of migrants in the UK will be a topic of research in our future treatise. According to Adeyanju and Oriola ( 2011 ), migrants' stories of life abroad typically disguise the unpleasant realities of their experiences, such as exploitation, racism, and unemployment. We predict a stark mismatch between the student migrants' experiences and their expectations, given the UK's neo-liberal system.

Also, given the massive dependents’ migration cum unstable socio-political landscape of the country, we project that Diaspora remittances, which constitute a substantial percentage of Nigeria’s GDP, may drastically drop. Aside from the fact that the migrants whose immediate families have relocated may have little or no one back home to send money to, the country's security situation might discourage the migrants from building up their ‘treasures’ at home country. This is borne out of the many negative experiences of Nigerians in the diaspora who visited Nigeria for different purposes. A recent story is that of a Nigerian who had invested in his hometown's agricultural and hospitality sectors and was kidnapped by bandits on arrival. Footnote 46 His abductors eventually killed him and others. Equally, the evidence reflects a decline in Diaspora remittances since 2019, when this massive migration peaked. According to available statistics by the World Bank, in 2018, the Diaspora remittance stood at 25 billion USD, which was 6.1% of the GDP. In 2019, it dropped to 23.81 billion USD; in 2020, it reduced to 17.21 billion-4% of the GDP. Footnote 47 The World Bank attributed the increased remittances to 19.2 billion USD in 2021 to the relative stability of the Naira-US Dollar rate (Olanrewaju, 2022 ). But with the current naira devalued status cum the massive migration in 2022, we project an enormous drop in overseas remittance in the country.

For the UK, as much as the Nigerian migrants would enhance/boost its economy and cushion its human resources deficit, it should prepare for the unexpected soon. As most of the migrants who migrated through the study channel paid between 30–50% of their tuition fees with the hope of balancing out as they worked and saved in the country, the UK may not be able to handle/absorb the socio-economic shock if such ‘relocation strategy’ failed. Since the major aim of some of the migrants is to japa from the ‘hard life’ in Nigeria and not necessarily to study, they may not mind dropping out. Besides, managing the rigours of UK academics with the hustling needed to raise funds for survival in the UK system and paying tuition fees may not be easy. Hence, dropping out and entering the UK informal sector may be inevitable. This would pose migration challenges to the country, leading to massive deportations of Nigerians, which could upset diplomatic relations between the two countries. Suppose the July 2022 ‘deportation agreement’ between Nigeria and the UK is a ‘Schlieffen plan’ of the latter to prepare for outmigration eventualities, it may result in one of the highest international blunders of the twenty-first century. Because such a move would provoke public opinion in Nigeria and the UK, it may result in strained relations between the two countries.

Finally, if the UK government eventually produces a policy to prevent Nigerian migrants from bringing their dependents with them into the UK, the implications may be grievous for the migrants and the Nigerian state. Aside from the fact that the rate of divorce and broken marriages will peak, the number of vulnerable populations in the country will increase. Considering that the Nigerian Government does not have a structure or system that caters for citizens' essential needs, most of the children left behind by their parents might become vulnerable to criminal gangs such as rapists, kidnappers, bandits, and terrorists in their quest to survive in an insecure country.

Through an examination of the lived experiences of Nigerian students in the UK vis-à-vis the Nigerian state, this article unpacks the push and pull factors responsible for the japa syndrome that Nigeria currently faces. Findings show that, though many Nigerians have found their way into the UK through the study channel, realistically, many used it to japa from Nigeria. Notably, since the process allows and accommodates immediate family members as dependents, it is a more effective pathway to be explored and utilised by many Nigerians as an escape route against poverty, under/unemployment, security threats and others.

The japa syndrome, discussed in the preceding section, shows more serious economic implications for an economically-declining state like Nigeria, given the colossal human and capital flight Nigeria is currently experiencing. It is critical to note that, despite the huge capital outflow in human and financial resources that this phenomenon affords the UK, it remains unacknowledged by the latter through factual statements and statistics. What is available so far in the public space is that Nigerian dependents account for 40% of all dependents who accompany international students in the UK, without corresponding statistics to show the turnover the UK government has benefited from the process and Nigerians specifically. This calls for careful attention by the UK government, as the effect of the process might have negative implications for Nigerians in the country. Nigerians might soon be seen as intruders in the UK, resulting in possible Afrophobia or xenophobic prejudice or attacks, as they are experiencing in South Africa.

Therefore, a holistic appraisal of this phenomenon lands solutions on the tables of Nigeria’s politicians and governments at all levels. It is high time they started to adjust and see why they must show intentional commitment towards the performance of their primary functions as custodians of public funds for their management and utilisation for the common good of all. This is the only way they would fulfil their part of its social contract with Nigerian citizens. However, scholars have established that development will never stop migration. Thus, we argue that a deliberate effort by the Nigerian government to address internal crises would mitigate the desperation amongst Nigerians to emigrate and address the Japa syndrome, and Nigerians would be more rational in their decisions as it relates to migration. This is suggested as a major measure that can adequately address the current japa syndrome in Nigeria. As one of the respondents puts it, in line with our thought, ‘the massive exodus of young Nigerians, I believe, is due to the economic hardship faced in Nigeria. Everyone is searching for a good life and wants that for their family. This trend will keep repeating itself until the Nigerian government puts things in order back home rather than stopping people from leaving. This assertion presents a solution capable of addressing this phenomenon in Nigeria. Until the Nigerian state shows the political will to make things right, the japa syndrome appears to be here to stay, and if the government only implements measures to stiffen the outmigration process of Nigerians through legitimate means without addressing the root causes of the drive, then many Nigerians would be pushed to consider the second option; that is, through irregular migration that comes with numerous dangers and horrors as previous studies have shown.

Availability of data and materials

Not applicable.

https://ifs.org.uk/publications/job-opportunities-during-pandemic.

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/how-has-the-pandemic-affected-industries-and-labour-in-the-uk/.

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https://www.employment-studies.co.uk/resource/labour-market-statistics-january-2022.

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Interview, November 2022.

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SK drew an abstract, problematized the study alongside a brief review of literature. He also drafted the interview protocol and analysed the findings of the study. EO identified the theories utilized in underpinning the study and discussed the implications of the japa syndrome on both countries while both authors drew a short conclusion. Both authors reviewed and edited the manuscript. Additions and deletions were done where deemed necessary by both authors.

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Okunade, S.K., Awosusi, O.E. The Japa syndrome and the migration of Nigerians to the United Kingdom: an empirical analysis. CMS 11 , 27 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40878-023-00351-2

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The Japa syndrome and the migration of Nigerians to the United Kingdom: an empirical analysis

Comparative Migration Studies

Since the early years of independence, Africa has witnessed varying degrees of migration-regular and irregular. Scholarships in African regional studies have mainly attributed this phenomenon to factors such as high poverty levels, rising unemployment, and the deplorable economies of most African countries, Nigeria inclusive. However, the post-Covid-19 trend of out-migration of Nigerians to the UK, known as japa to the United Kingdom (UK) and other parts of the world, is concerning with multifaced implications. The study investigates the endogamous and exogamous variables responsible for this Japa syndrome in Nigeria. It contends that beyond the unfavourable economic climate and the lingering security issues among other internal vices in Nigeria, the current trend of out-migration bears a connection with the neo-liberal structure of the UK and the emerging global trend. The study argues further that the mad rush out-migration portends hydra-headed implications for the two countries ...

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The drive for prosperity: Addressing the japa syndrome

‘Japa’, a Yoruba word for “to run, flee, or escape,” has become a buzzword for the aspiration that young Nigerians have to leave the country…

‘Japa’, a Yoruba word for “to run, flee, or escape,” has become a buzzword for the aspiration that young Nigerians have to leave the country and migrate elsewhere to seek greener pastures. It’s a response to the leadership failure across decades and governments – civilian and military. 

Nigeria has a population of over 200 million people, most of whom are youths. According to the Census Bureau of the United States, Nigeria’s population will surpass that of the United States in 2047. This is understandable, going by the data obtained from Macrotrends, and Statista, which put Nigeria’s annual population growth rate at 2.41 per cent; and the population growth of the US at 0.12 per cent in 2021. 

Nigeria’s large population should be a blessing for, according to China’s revolutionary founder, Mao Zedong: ‘…the contest of strength is not only a contest of military and economic power but also a contest of human power and morale.’  To make a meaning out of Zedong’s quote, let’s take a look at China. It is pleasing that Nigeria as a nation also has this strength; as the most populous country in Africa. But the question is why are we having issues of mass migration? 

For clearer insight, mass migration entails ‘large movement of people from one country to another; which could be voluntary or otherwise. Although migration is a global phenomenon, the rate at which Nigerians are leaving the shores of this country is worrisome.  

There is no doubt that mass migration has lots of debilitating effects on the economy and on various aspects of a country’s life. But what are the triggers? What could make youths weather the storms of a foreign travel and foreign land and abandon their own fatherland?  Nigerian youths’ desire for prosperity, the high cost of living and low standard of living,  weak economy, social distress, underemployment, poverty, hunger and mounting insecurity are the causes of ‘japa’ of the Nigerian youths. 

Some effects of mass migration include but are not limited to the following: 

• Loss of investors’ confidence: When Nigerians are leaving in droves, it weakens the spirit of foreign investors to come and establish businesses that would translate to employment generations for our teeming youths. The message this sends to the investors is that the country’s business environment will not be favourable to investments; and lack of jobs drives social ills. 
• Brain drain: One of the consequences of mass migration on the economy is that of the brain drain. Our experienced and qualified hands both in the academia and healthcare sectors, for instance, leave the country in droves for greener pastures. This has left the young upcoming ones without requisite experiences in the sectors of the economy. 

In the healthcare sector, the old experienced hands that are supposed to groom and mentor the upcoming practitioners are being poached by foreign countries. This sad reality applies also to our universities and higher institutions today, where only few experienced hands are still found in the classrooms. 

Today in most of our tertiary institutions, it is only teaching that takes place in classes without corresponding learning experiences; as few lecturers battle with large populations of students. 

• Low economic productivity: Optimal productivity is only possible when a good number of competent and skilled workforce perform their duties. Besides the fact that it saves time and energy, it also reduces possible cases of errors on the job. 
• Higher cases of errors on the job resulting in deaths: Without hostile reference to medical professionals, a good number of skilled and talented Nigerians had lost their lives or suffered from medical negligence of some practitioners arising from their hurried and shallow medical examinations that require calm and thorough diagnoses either due to lack of experiences or larger number of doctor-to-patient ratio. 
• Negative perception about the country: Mass migration of our people in a desperate manner would make ‘outsiders’ form unfavorable and unrealistic collective opinions about Nigeria. Our citizens would also be perceived abroad as those who had no good future in their homelands till they migrated. 

The cases of Ghana and even South Africa that had troubled our nationals in xenophobic attacks in the recent past cannot be forgotten in a hurry and not even at all.  

Hence, the following practical solutions are urgently needed to reverse this unfortunate trend. 

First, we must quickly embark on social mobilisation and behaviour change in communication by engaging and motivating relevant bodies and partners across board to instill the spirit of patriotism and confidence in our fellow citizens; using effective, repetitive communication and persuasion techniques. We need to make our fellow citizens believe that economic prosperity is attainable anywhere Nigeria inclusive. 

Also, governments at all levels must sincerely tackle triggers of mass migration such as poverty, hunger and unemployment; and invest in modern agriculture, ICT and digital economy. To achieve these, government must genuinely craft the right macro-economic policies that will make us competitive while putting us on the same pedestal as other countries. 

Furthermore, we need to promote social inclusion, plug growing wealth gaps and focus attention on programmes that will enhance standards of living and reduce costs of living. 

Also very necessary and timely, we must get relevant educational bodies to craft curricula that will especially teach our young population survival skills, beyond theoretical entrepreneurship being taught, innovation and problem-solving skills right from schools; and seek  to commodify our knowledge. 

God bless my country, Nigeria. 

Abubakar lives in Minna and can be reached via [email protected]   

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Loss of talents

The 'Japa' trend has seen Nigeria lose a lot of skilled workers to the labour markets of the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands and Australia. Many professionals, especially medical practitioners, bankers, academics and techies are leaving the shores of the country for greener pastures abroad.

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A report by the Government of the United Kingdom revealed that approval to Nigerian nationals for its Worker Visas increased by 11, 854 between December 2019 to June 2022.

According to the report, this is a 303% level change from 3,918 in December 2019 to 15,772 in June 2022, making Nigerians the second-highest recipients.

The enormous richness of Nigeria’s human resources is evident in the fact that Western countries are welcoming large numbers of Nigerians as skilled workers

Skill gaps in organisations

There’s no doubt that the current 'Japa' trend is leaving a huge skill gap in most organizations. As earlier mentioned in the previous point above, great talents have continued to emigrate from the country as companies are losing a lot of their best hands who take with them years of training and skills to foreign countries.

This leaves a gap in many organisations which subsequently has to be filled by newer talents that may not necessarily be as experienced as those who have left these organisations. In other words, organisations have to repeatedly invest in the retraining of staff.

MACBAN president insists Buhari has failed to address herders' problems

Crippled industry growth

Emigration has stunted the growth of some key industries in Nigeria. Imagine a health sector where the best doctors have emigrated, a tech sector where the best techies are expressing their talents in Europe and America, and an academic system where the best academics have taken their knowledge abroad. Imagine this scenario for every other sector of the economy.

The African Union stated in its Revised Policy Framework for Africa and Plan of Action (2018-2027) that an estimated 70,000 skilled professionals emigrate from Africa each year. According to reports, Nigeria lost over 9000 medical doctors to the United Kingdom, Canada, and the U.S.A between 2016-2018. With a depleting number of medical doctors, Nigeria annually spends between $1.2 billion and $1.6 billion on medical tourism.

Loss of tax and funds to other nations

The Chairman of the Nigeria Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa had estimated that there are about 15 million Nigerians in the diaspora. If we assume that half of the number are of employment age and are currently working, that would mean Nigeria is losing potential tax payments by 7.5 million people who could have contributed to its economy.

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There is also the matter of huge amounts of money spent on visa fees and International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exams conducted by the British Council by Nigerians looking to exit the country in exchange for foreign education.

According to the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerians spent at least $220.86 million on foreign education between December 2021 and February 2022. Another report showed that Nigerians spent a sum of $11.6 billion (N5 trillion) on foreign education between 2019 and 2022.

All these monies lost to other nations could have had positive impacts if spent in Nigeria.

High dollar demand, depreciating Naira

Due to a surge in the number of Nigerians who need dollars for travel, the United States’ currency has become scarce, thereby forcing it to exchange for as much as N700 for a dollar in the parallel market.

Rising dollar demand has put tremendous pressure on the naira and unfortunately, none of the policies introduced by the CBN to save the Naira from a continuous fall seems to be working.

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The alarming exchange rate between the naira and the dollar has caused a rise in almost every imported commodity in Nigeria.

The optics of Japa trend

That being said, we cannot underestimate the positive side of the 'Japa' syndrome which is in diaspora remittance inflow. Between January and June of 2022, Nigerians received $10.11 as diaspora remittances, according to Nairametrics .

Nigeria’s diaspora remittance in a way gives the CBN the firepower to meet the pent-up demand for foreign exchange and defend the Naira against volatility. Remittances from the diaspora play an important role in the lives of recipients and are one of the most important sources of external flows of capital and forex for developing countries.

Source: Legit.ng

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Inflation soars to 33.69% amid higher food, energy, commodity prices, nigeria and burden of japa syndrome.

The spate at which Nigerians emigrate in search of greener pasture and security is a highly debated topic with its attendant brain-drain effect on the country. Recently the Nowa Omoigui Centre for the Advancement of Art, History and Medicine, NOWAS, organised a webinar where speakers analysed the syndrome, the root causes of migration trend and its impact on Nigerian society,  Olawale Ajimotokan reports

Japa, is a Yoruba coinage, which in its literal connotation denotes ‘to leave for good’. It has become the new catch phrase for unbridled migration by desperate Nigerians in search of better paying jobs or other life supporting means.

But the worry is that it is not only the citizens with specialised skills inengineering, medicine, education, law and information technology that are migrating for better opportunities.

 Now all manner of many of Nigerians now do so in some cases via irregular means with to work as either cleaners, cab drivers, labourers, hair dressers and mechanics among others, in the process putting their lives in harm’s way occasioned by the perilous journey they embark upon across the Sahara Desert or by attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe aboard overloaded dinghies.

The long term effect for the country is that majority of the people that are migrating or planning to are the youths who constitute the productive population of the country. 

A recent survey by the Nigeria Social Cohesion Survey revealed that seven out of 10 Nigerians are willing to relocate to other countries for various reasons, with a good number of them recording success.

Now, the current net Nigeria migration rate is -0.273 per 1000 population, which indicates that more people are emigrating from the country.

Also of concern is the statistics which put Nigeria with 11,055 trained doctors as the country with the third-highest number of foreign doctors working in the United Kingdom.

It is in response to this worrisome trend that the Nowa Omoigui Centre for the Advancement of Art, History and Medicine (NOWAS) recently organised a webinar with the topic: The Japa Syndrome and its Effect on a Nation (Nigeria).

The lecture was organised in memory of Dr Nowa Omoigui, an interventional cardiologist in the US and a foremost Nigerian-American civil- military historian who died on April 18, 2021.

The discussants included  human rights activist and the publisher of Sahara Reporters ,  Omoyele Sowore; a political scientist and former Special Adviser to former President  Olusegun Obasanjo , Prof Julius Ihonvbere; and a trained physician, Dr Egbe Dawodu.

Others were a certified immigration professional, Mr Aigbeze Uhimwen, the Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa and an anesthesiologist, Dr Sota Omoigui.

They extensively analysed the Japa syndrome and the root causes of the migration trend in addition to its impact on the Nigerian society.

They discussed the challenges faced by Nigerian immigrants in their host countries, including issues related to integration, discrimination and access to basic services.

Sowore who spoke first at the lecture, said the Japa phenomenon has political and economic undertone.

He lamented that expectations of many Nigerians of Eldorado in Diaspora are often dashed because they suffer cultural shock and dislocation in their new environment.

Unlike African-Americans, who are always sensitive to workplace treatment steaming from historic issues of race, Sowore said the self-worth of Nigerians are usually driven by economic gains rather than on their consciousness  in their new community.

“There is also is the glass ceiling because realistically there is a level where you can reach as a Nigerian in America no matter your level of qualification. In addition to that African Americans view people in the Diaspora with suspicion because they feel Nigerians are more concerned about remittances and are not connected with the real issues and struggles that have historically defined racial relations in contemporary America,” Sowore said.

He also noted that when the chips are down many Nigerians who arrive in America in hope of an economic turnaround will begin to perceive Japa as a mere illusion after such expectation is not matched by the prevailing reality.

“And beyond that self-worth is very important to me. One of the reasons why I returned to Nigeria is because I don’t want to be buried in a place where my burial ground will not be known and where the ground is cold,” Sowore said.

On his part Ihonvbere said Japa is a response to government policy and its implementation.

He said a lot of Nigerians who migrate make that difficult choice because of disruption to their lives arising from lack of water, security and infrastructure, while calling on government to address all the issues of dislocation in the system.

Ihonvbere described Japa as an illusion while noting people with the right skills tend to do well when they migrate and make remittances to support their dependents while irregular migrants suffer all forms of indignities, including death while embarking on the risky journey.

He warned that relocating abroad is not always smooth sailing, noting that unlike in Nigeria, a migrant can’t go and knock the door of his neighbour asking for salt.

“There is dislocation in our educational system. Our youths now go to Ghana because of educational stability. All these are symptomatic of cultural dislocation which will persevere until we address these problems.

“The Japa syndrome is a response to the impunity and lawlessness in the country. The solution is to restructure our country and the institutions otherwise a lot of the problems will remain,” Ihonvbere said.

But Dr Egbe Dawodu expressed a slightly different opinion on the Japa problem.

She cited the giant strides of Nigerian inspired Fintech, unicorn companies, music industry and movie production as one of the positives of migration.

The fintech innovation has enabled people to shift away from using banks altogether because of the convenience of mobile banking apps, especially among the unbanked.

Dawodu argued that the technology that enabled those break through was designed by Nigerian youths who returned from the Diaspora to set up some of the privately held startup companies valued at billions of dollars.

“All of people I know who are in tech don’t Japa, they stay in Nigeria,” Dawodu said.

She also said one of the global health issues is brain drain because there is a lot of shortfall in the health workers.

Dawodu averred that the population of the health workers is aging in many of the developing countries, which explains why many foreign hospitals are looking at the Anglophone countries for health workers.

She said in the global pool of healthcare workers, 90 per cent of the heath workers said they wanted to work outside Nigeria.

She urged the country to be innovative in the health care sector like in finance and Nollywood, while noting that the health care spending is rather too low.

“What we are spending on health care is low. We inherited a system based on what the British left for us in the 60s. Other countries like Holland, Spain, Greece and Spain have been in our situation before. But they came out of it,” she said.  

On his part, Uhimwen ascribed economic reasons to be primarily responsible for the spike in irregular migration.

He tasked the country to learn from both the positives and negatives of migration saying it can still export health workers if they are required by some countries.

 But Dabiri-Erewa posited that the country should encourage regular migration as people can’t be stopped from migrating.

The CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission also voiced concern about people who migrate not knowing where they are going.

She called for collaboration with the  International Organisation for Migration  ( IOM ) to discourage people from migrating to Saudi Arabia, Libya and even Lebanon where they are treated like slaves.

“Irregular migration should be discouraged. There is no point going for a job and you end up coming back with nothing. We should fix our country. Some people do want to go but we need to make the environment good for our people,” she said.

She also voiced opposition to the bill currently before the House of Representatives seeking to stop medical doctors from migrating abroad.

“I disagree with that bill. Doctors are not the only ones going. Some of our doctors are coming back and setting up specialist hospitals. There are good and bad sides of migration. I see the dangers of irregular migration every day. Make sure you go and Japada (return) so that we can fix our country,” Dabiri-Erewa said.

In his remarks, Dr. Sota Omoigui, who wrote the national anthem in 1976, described the migration of the youth who constitute the country’s productive population as a time bomb waiting to explode.

He said youth should not be blamed for migrating in the face of hardship in a country where teaching hospitals have no running water, electricity, drugs and facilities and where patients are expected to bring their own water.

“We must start from the basic because our youths who are hopeless they will continue to Japa,” Omoigui said.

“Democracy in Nigeria is a sham. The Governors are setting up their own retirement plan and the legislators are planning a bill that will force the doctors to stay in the country for minimum of five years.

“Corruption streaks across the judiciary, the public and private agencies and everywhere. When corruption thrives, no White Paper will work,” he said.

Irregular migration should be discouraged. There is no point going for a job and you end up coming back with nothing. We should fix our country. Some people do want to go but we need to make the environment good for our people

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Culture shock is real, racism is real, there’s no ignorance in law, not as rosy, not as thorny.

Bolaji is a Chief Correspondent with The PUNCH. He has over 10 years experience covering metro, civil societies and government activities

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